Filed To Story: A Claim of Fortune Book PDF Free by Jaymin Eve
He’d dropped the first shovel of dirt in the chasm between us, and only time would tell if there’d be more.
Talon calmed as I moved closer, and I forced myself not to fidget. “Hey,” I said softly, “fighting won’t solve this issue. You’re mated into this pack, and with that, you’re going to have to work with us. Fletcher might have promised that I’d come to you without baggage, but he was wrong. I’m already part of a quintet. One I’ve claimed.”
Visible steam emerged from Talon’s nostrils, and his head lowered, which had Slade’s hackles rising. “Enough!” I snapped, fueled by false bravado. Which they’d clearly know from the race of my pulse and sweat coating my skin. “Talon, I need you to change back so we can talk. Will you do that for me? I promise that Slade won’t attack you in his dragon form.” I turned to meet the greener dragon’s gaze. “Right?”
Slade’s beast blew out a stream of smoke as he nodded.
In the distance, the sound of a helicopter filtered through to us, which meant our time was almost up. “Please. Do this for me,” I pleaded with Talon. “Show me that there’s more between us than a forced bond.”
This new information set off Slade’s beast, who roared so loudly my ears ached, but Talon didn’t react to the rage. If anything, he tilted his head in a gesture that spoke of curiosity, but before I could figure out why, a flash of electrical energy caressed my skin, and the black dragon disappeared.
Leaving the man behind.
EMME
I
‘d seen Slade naked once, and shirtless a couple of other times, but there was no getting used to the sort of body that came along with massive, ripped dragon shifters.
There were obvious differences between Slade and Talon at first glance, from the lack of tattoos and piercings to Talon’s shorter hair and facial scar. But they were also so similar it was scary.
Hunter would be freaking out at the sight if he wasn’t currently busy trying to crush Finley into the dirt.
“Talon,” I called, gesturing him closer, all the while hoping my plan would work.
With that helicopter on the horizon, there was no time for a plan B.
Without pause, he did exactly as I hoped, and headed right for me, his focus flickering between me and Slade, who was pressed in close behind me.
“Back up,” I hissed at the dragon.
Talon’s steps slowed, but before he could retreat, I dashed forward and lifted my arms as if to hug him. His eyes widened, but he didn’t step away or try to avoid my touch as my arms closed around his shoulders. I pressed against his naked length, annoyed when my skin tingled and wolf howled.
She wanted to be close to all of her mates, including Talon. I hadn’t felt this possessiveness from her in the bunker, as she’d been hiding from me then. But now her interest was strong and obvious. Talon’s scent grew stronger too, and I picked up hints of smoky ash in his maple, just like with Slade’s marshmallow.
No, I internally cried as my beast cozied up to his curious dragon.
I don’t care that he smells good. We need to subdue him until we can figure out how to fix this.
Ignoring the whimpers of my wolf, I whispered in his ear, “You’re my mate, Talon. I won’t let them hurt you.”
His huge chest rumbled as his arms moved to close around me, which I couldn’t let happen. If he pulled my feet from the ground, I’d lose the leverage I needed to get him into position.
“But I don’t trust you,” I added in a breathless rush, sliding my hands farther along his shoulders, and yanking him toward me.
I fell back with all my weight, and while he clearly hadn’t expected the maneuver, he didn’t completely lose his balance as I’d hoped. Luckily, he still stumbled close enough that Slade’s dragon could swing his head, cracking his hard skull into the side of his doppelganger, knocking the other shifter off his feet and out cold. If the way he slumped to the ground was any indication.
A flicker of guilt washed through me, even though Talon deserved that and far worse after what he’d done to me. Hunter, who’d finished with Finley by now, reached my side and helped me up from where I’d fallen.
“We need to get out of here,” he said, after checking me over quickly. “Reinforcements are on their way, and there are too many of them for us to take on today. Especially not when this bastard wakes up and joins in on their side. Slade, you fly him out of here. We’ll meet you at the plane.”
No one argued, and I wasn’t surprised to find myself hoisted in my entitled alpha’s arms as he raced across the desert, dirt flying around us as he headed for the ATV. He slid into the passenger side, keeping me against his chest, while Kellan dove into the driver’s seat and Finley leapt onto the back, clutching the roof bars as we took off.
“Will Slade be okay?” I shouted, the sound of the helicopter echoing through the valley
“He’ll be fine. He’s faster than any chopper,” Hunter replied, his grip tightening on me as Kellan did a near ninety-degree turn, zooming in the opposite direction of the helicopter.
Slade came into view above us, Talon gripped in his… talons.
Ironically.
It didn’t look like a comfortable hold, with one giant claw wrapped around his right arm, and the other on his right ankle, but Talon’s comfort was no doubt low on Slade’s list of worries, especially with Fletcher on his tail.
I slumped into Hunter and he wrapped his arms tighter around me, both of us bracing our feet against the floor as Kellan demonstrated impressive driving abilities. Not only was he going as fast as this vehicle could move, it was over rugged terrain that shifted from sand to rock constantly.
“We left our plane on a private strip out of the main town,” Kellan said as he jumped a small mound, landing heavily and almost unseating me. “We have to switch out vehicles first though.”
“Fucking excellent,” Finley muttered from behind us. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll just be back here with my balls flapping in the breeze.”
Kellan didn’t miss a beat. “At least it’s cold. I bet that’s helping minimize the flapping.”
Finley growled, and even Hunter cracked a brief smile. I forced myself not to laugh, or turn around, to add visual to the commentary.